The primary antagonist of the "Kyoto arc" in the Manga and the second season of the anime. Like Kenshin, Shishio was an assassin during the Revolution. He aspires to conquer all Japan by re-creating the chaos of the Revolution. He was known as the successor of the legendary Battousai, replacing Kenshin after he retired. He possessed skills equal or even greater to Himura, but none of the conscience.-----* TheAce: He's just that good. * AdaptationalBadass: His manga iteration had some tricks like the iron plate and gunpowder glove to give him an edge. In the film, he's just that good.* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: To Usui. Saitou points out that despite his constant attacks on Shishio, Usui had already realized he had no chance of winning since Shishio had received even greater injuries and came back stronger.* AndStarring: His actor in the live action films, Tatsuya Fujiwara, is credited this way.* ArchEnemy: Portrayed as Kenshin's complete opposite in terms of belief, fighting style, and even stature.* AwesomenessByAnalysis: More than Kenshin/Saito.* {{Badass}}: He takes so much punishment, and gives back so much in return, that characters occasionally ''doubt that he's human.''* BandageMummy: He is covered head-to-toe in bandages. His un-bandaged visage is surprisingly attractive... for someone who was shot in the face, burned alive, and barely survived. * BarehandedBladeBlock: Does this to both Kenshin and Saito. ''With his fingers.''* BigBad: Of the Kyoto Arc.* BigBrotherMentor: Sadly enough, he is the closest thing Soujirou has to a father and a best friend.* BloodKnight: Second only to conquering and remaking Japan as his GoalInLife.* BodyHorror: Under those bandages, his skin is horribly burned, and he has no sweat glands.* CardCarryingVillain: Occasionally will call himself a demon from Hell, and fully expects to go there when he dies...and plans on taking it over as well. [[spoiler: And once his story arc is finished, he starts following through.]]* ChewingTheScenery: Rather more literally than usual, once he starts [[ManBitesMan Chewing The Costar]] during his fight with Kenshin. It's an intimidation tactic, and it works too: Kenshin is so freaked out by the memory of "those burning hot teeth" sinking into him that he almost dies seconds later.* CoveredWithScars: Shishio's full-body scarring is from one incident, but having almost all of your skin be second- or third-degree burns can't be good for the complexion.* CrazyPrepared: This is a man who booby traps ''his own hands'', just in case.* CurbStompBattle: He beats an already-battered Kenshin, Saito, and Sanosuke early on in his final battle with Kenshin, but Aoshi manages to buy time for Kenshin to recover and get back in the fight.* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: And HOW. He's savvy enough to have every major character weakened before battling him since his time limits means he has no chance of fighting them all at once or one after the other otherwise. He also learns their key techniques before hand which lets him figure out how to counteract them. The anime states knowing the technique before hand decreases its effectiveness by half. Having them fight exhausted took even more of the edge off. * DarkerAndEdgier: Amazingly, he manages it in ''Shin Kyoto Hen''. [[spoiler: He is even more of a BloodKnight than usual, giving Usui his chance to defeat him before [[CurbStompBattle wiping the floor with him]]. [[BloodierAndGorier Messily]]. He even ends up killing Usui.]]* DeathByIrony: The entire arc kept coming back to [[spoiler:how Kenshin, with his [[ArchEnemy equivalent skill and opposite views]], was the only one who could have stopped Shishio. But in the end, it wasn't Kenshin or Saito or Sanosuke that managed to end his life... It was Shishio's own inhuman strength and endurance, his own passion for violence, that destroyed him.]]** KarmicDeath: Shishio [[spoiler: evaded death by fire ten years earlier. [[KilledOffForReal Didn't happen a second time.]] And Kenshin didn't have to break his vow.]] * DiabolicalMastermind: Behind most of the events of the Kyoto Arc, in one way or another, and has his fingers in other pies later on.* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He genuinely loves Yumi.* EvenEvilHasStandards: He's a monster and [[CardCarryingVillain he knows it]], but he can't stand the dishonesty and hypocrisy of the government whenever it commits comparably heinous acts while claiming to represent democracy and peace.* EvilCounterpart: To Kenshin, serving as his replacement as Battousai. Yahiko even points it out, stating that if things had been a little different Saito might have been asking Shishio to help him kill a rogue Kenshin.** He's also one to Hiko Sejurou, as a highly ambitious SocialDarwinist who genuinely wants to make Japan strong, which contrasts with Hiko's relatively indifferent but still-caring nature. ** He notes the similarities between himself and Saitou as well. Both are ruthlessly devoted to their respective causes and aren't afraid to dirty their hands to achieve it or eliminate obstacles. Their motivations just happen to be different.* EvilLaugh: A few times.* EvilerThanThou: His first assignment was [[spoiler: to eliminate the treacherous Choshu agent Iizuka, who was instrumental in Battousai's fatal match with the Yaminobu and Tomoe's death]]. He later remarks that [[EvenEvilHasStandards such scum as Iizuka]] are far beneath his skills, but will bide his time serving the Ishin Shishi [[FromNobodyToNightmare in order to make his name known]].* EvilMentor: To Soujirou. And even then, he was [[VillainousFriendship nicer]] to him than his evil family would ''ever'' be.* FairPlayVillain: Threatens to kill Houji when he [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim suggests shooting Kenshin]] in their climactic final battle.* FlamingSword: A particularly disgusting one, considering that it works by soaking the blade in human fat.** SerratedBladeOfPain: His Mugenjin, though it's not blatant at a first glance. According to Shishio, such edge will always keep the blade sharp and makes his above-mentioned fueling system possible.* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler:In the live-action films]].* GoodScarsEvilScars: While Kenshin's scar is heroic, Shishio is just disfigured.* HandicappedBadass: After surviving an assassination attempt that rendered him unable to produce sweat, Shishio must avoid being in any fight for more than fifteen minutes in a row.* TheHardHat: He wears a steel-lined headband to protect his head, as his "fall" was caused by a bullet to the forehead.* HeroicRROD: He [[spoiler: dies in a very villainous example.]]* HoistByHisOwnPetard: One of his signature techniques is using friction to set his sword on fire by igniting the human body fat that has absorbed into the blade. [[spoiler:He dies when repeated use of this technique, combined with being in prolonged combat with Kenshin and company, cause his body temperature to go so high that his own body fat spontaneously combusts.]] * HotBlooded: Literally. Figuratively, [[TheChessmaster less so]], unless he's in personal combat.* ImAHumanitarian: If the fact that he bites a chunk of meat out of Kenshin's shoulder and savors the taste is any indication.* ImplacableMan: He blows through the entire cast without stopping, taking hits from Sanosuke's punch to Saito's stab at his forehead to Kenshin's ultimate attack. It takes [[spoiler:his own body overheating to kill him]].* IronicName: His name literally means ''"Idealistic-Hero of The-Truth."'' * IWasQuiteALooker: He was quite good-looking before his assassins torched him.* LastNameBasis* LightningBruiser: The movie version of Shishio can not only keep up with Kenshin, but [[spoiler:Aoshi, Sanosuke, and Saito]] as well and all at the same time.* LikeABadassOutOfHell: After he [[spoiler:finally dies, we get a scene of him in a rather bright Hell, deciding to see if he can take over.]] * MadeOfIron: Survived getting shot in the head at point blank range and set on fire. The man is tough. His fight at the end of the Kyoto Arc after said injuries epitomizes this. ** Not to mention the second of his techniques, the Guren Kaina, involves setting of a gauntlet filled with ''gunpowder'', the kind of move that would probably shatter the bones of an ordinary person's hand and he uses this technique repeatedly.** In the movies, most of Kenshin's enemies go down after several hits from his sword. Shishio tanks dozens of his blows to brutalize him. However, he starts to block and dodge when [[spoiler:Aoshi and Saito enter the fight]].* MadLove: Played for tragedy, with Yumi. They're both ''very'' aware of it, too.* ManBitesMan: During his final showdown with Kenshin, Shishio bites a chunk of flesh out of his shoulder.* ManOnFire: The reason for his [[BandageMummy current state]]. [[spoiler: And his ultimate fate.]]* ANaziByAnyOtherName: Or "A Japanese Fascist By Any Other Name". Not helped by the fact that while he [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadows]] the excesses and ambitions of ImperialJapan, he also harkens back imageries of the notorious OdaNobunaga (even setting up headquarters in Mt. Hiei, the very site of Nobunaga's most infamous massacres). And while Nobunaga was reputed as the ''dairokuten maou'' (lit. "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven"), [[spoiler: Shishio has set out to conquer hell after dying, and seems to be succeeding]].* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Has survived being shot in the head, being doused in oil and set on fire (and losing the ability to control his own body temperature as a result). * PlayingWithFire: His sword has had so much human fat soaked into it that it can be ignited with mere sparks; he also uses gunpowder in his gloves to set off explosions against enemies in his grasp. His greatest move is basically a giant fire ball wrapped around his sword.* PlotTailoredToTheParty: Anticipates the various fights this way, setting up Anji against Sano as well Usui and Saitou, explicitly trying to wear each of them down for the final battle.* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: And he wishes Japan to be a nation comprised ''entirely'' of this, too.* PurpleIsPowerful: What clothing he still wears is dyed in this color, and he's generally regarded as the most imposing antagonist in the series.* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler:In real life, people with anhidrosis are at extreme risk for overheating. Though most don't ''actually'' catch fire the condition can be very deadly. Doing something very physical in a very hot place is not a great idea, no matter ''how'' badass the flaming sword attacks make the dramatic final duel look.]]* RunTheGauntlet: A rare villainous example, where Shishio single-handedly takes down Kenshin, Saito, Sanosuke, AND Aoshi ''in succession'', with very little difficulty. Granted they were all injured in varying degrees coming into the fight, but that hardly diminishes the magnitude of the feat, especially considering Shishio had some considerable handicaps of his own.* SanitySlippage: Unless he was always the way he is now, taking a bullet to the brain and getting roasted alive wasn't great for his mental health.* ShoutOut: WordOfGod states that his character design before getting his burn injuries was based on Kibagami Genjuro from ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown''.* SpontaneousHumanCombustion: His [[spoiler:ultimate fate. Though a little better explained than most instances, he still burns pretty merrily following the initial ignition.]]* StayingAlive: Dude. Was shot point blank in the head. Doused with oil. Lit on fire. Left to die. STILL HE SURVIVED.* SocialDarwinist: His philosophy is that "the flesh of the weak is the food of the strong"--and he drives his point home by taking a bite out of the hero. He is inevitably defeated, but afterwards, Kenshin observes that his victory has not truly proven anything--and that, if the one in the right is merely the strongest warrior, then Shishio was correct all along.* TisOnlyABulletInTheBrain: And he ''survives'' it.* {{Ubermensch}}: Believes in his idealized vision of Japan, wherein one '''must''' be a great warrior to survive, and hence will one day become a universally proud and strong nation in the global arena, and that, freed from all moral constraints, he is the one to make it a reality.* UnholyMatrimony: With Yumi. He freely admits that no one else really understands their relationship, but they're rather happy together [[spoiler: [[TogetherInDeath even in Hell]]]]* VictoriousLoser: As the narration in the manga reminds us, his nightmarish dream of Japan reborn as a brutal, fascist and Darwinist military dictatorship would go on to [[ImperialJapan bear cruel fruit in the future]], while Kenshin's ideal of peace would not become reality until after WorldWarII. But hey, at least it took longer than it would have otherwise, and he didn't live long enough to be the one running the show.* VillainousBreakdown: At the end of his battle.* VisionaryVillain: His goal is to eliminate the Meiji government, which he views as weak and inferior to The Western Powers, and start a new era in Japan in which everyone must live under his brutal and warlike rule, where only the strongest can survive. * WorfHadTheFlu: Invoked. Shishio anticipates that Kenshin's allies will probably defeat their respective opponents, but be injured enough not to pose a threat. He himself is noted to have the weakness of having damaged sweat glands and no way to manage his body heat, which [[spoiler: eventually kills him.]][[/folder]]

An oiran, a courtesan in Yoshiwara, formerly an akasen. Because of that, she is beautiful, intelligent, dignified, well-cultured, and was brought up in a comfortable life. She was always interested in social issues and occurrences in Japan, and became reviled at the Japanese government's stance regarding prostitutes. She came to love Shishio Makoto with an utmost passion, which he returned. Thus, she joined Shishio's conspiracy to bring down the Meiji government. She is constantly concerned about Shishio's medical state [[spoiler: with good reason]].-----* AdaptationalModesty: Her ImpossiblyLowNeckline was dropped in the film in favor of an off-the-shoulder one, probably because, as the author would later note, her manga look is pretty much all but impossible in real life.* AdaptationalVillainy: Not as bad as the other Juppongatana, but she's still portrayed less sympathetically in the live action films.* BeastAndBeauty: Her relationship with Shishio in a nutshell, and a very dark example of the trope.* BeautyMark: On her lower lip.* BrainyBrunette: Has reddish-brown hair, and is also very well-read and book smart.* BrokenBird: Extremely cynical and emotionally broken, due to her past experiences. Yumi was once a very well-known, beautiful, and intelligent oiran (courtesan), she fell in despair during the Meiji Restoration as she saw the uglier side of the Japanese high society and experienced many hardships. Fed up with this new world, built on lies and injustice in her eyes, she turned towards a man who offered her dignity and solace: MagnificentBastard Makoto Shishio.* CoolBigSis: To Soujirou. * DarkMistress: To Shishio.* GoOutWithASmile: She [[spoiler: goes out with a smile on her face and crying TearsOfJoy, happy that she was finally useful to Shishio in battle]].* HiddenDepths: She was literally invented by the author to be a sort of "accessory" to Shishio, but ended up with a remarkably developed personality and backstory.** She is also shown to care more about a person's character than their appearance, given her love for Shishio despite his burned and mutilated physical appearance, as well as her care for Sojiro.* HighClassCallGirl: What she used to be.* HotterAndSexier: For some, [[spoiler: her [[JustForPun "killingly hot"]] [[CoitusUninterruptus "session"]] with Shishio]] (although others are beginning to find that awkward) in the ''Shin Kyoto Hen'' OVA counts.* ImpossiblyLowNeckline[=/=]KimonoFanservice: In side materials, the author apologized to all the fans who tried to make her look work in cosplay and found it completely impossible.* InTheBack: As she's [[spoiler:begging for Kenshin to stop, Shishio stabs through her chest and wounds Kenshin.]]* LikeABadassOutOfHell: Accompanies [[spoiler:Shishio and Houji in their endeavor to overthrow King Enma and take the throne of Japan's literal Hell.]] * MadLove: With Shishio. They both know it.* MoralMyopia: Was victim of this in her backstory, and led to her bitter disenfranchisement with the Meiji government.* MoralityPet: In spite of his sinister nature, Shishio is genuinely in love with Yumi whom he professed understood him as thoroughly as he understood her.* MsFanservice* NeutralFemale: She ''hates'' being one, and that prompts [[spoiler:her death]].** To give you an idea, [[spoiler: she's crying tears of joy as she dies, happy to learn that she has finally managed to be useful to Shishio and during his most important battle too.]]* TheResenter: She's revealed to have been this to [[spoiler:the fighters of the Juppongatana, as they made her feel useless to Shishio, who always respected strength]].* SlipknotPonytail: Her hair only gets shown undone a few times, but it's quite... voluminous. Guess her former life really trained her to keep it up.* SympathyForTheDevil* TheTease* TogetherInDeath: [[spoiler: After they both die, she and Shishio reunite in Hell, and seem very happy together as they plot to take it over.]]* UndyingLoyalty: To Shishio. This was the price of being rescued by Shishio- she pledged her life and death to him, to serve him in any way and die at his leisure.* WoundedGazelleGambit: An inadvertent example, playing on Kenshin's soft heart to explain Shishio's weakness. [[spoiler: He runs her through InTheBack to injure Kenshin, but both of them are rather at peace with it.]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Ten Swords]]!! Tropes Associated With The Ten Swords* AdaptationalVillainy: They are portrayed as complete villains in the live action films by completely downplaying, if not [[AdaptedOut dropping]], the sympathetic members' tragic backstories.* DemotedToExtra: The live action films did it to everyone except Shishio (obviously), Soujiro, Houji and ,to some extent, Yumi. Anji at least got to speak in the third film.* RagTagBunchOfMisfits: The group has a [[{{Bishonen}} pretty boy]], a NonActionGuy, a glider, a DudeLooksLikeALady, a giant, a large skulled man, a BareFistedMonk, a man with unusual swords, a blind spearman and a FatBastard [[spoiler: who later turns out to be a disguise for a puppeteer who uses corpses to build stronger bodies.]][[/folder]]

A teenage boy who is Shishio's right-hand man. He is noted in the series for always smiling, and apparently displaying no emotions in battle. He met Shishio when he was a small boy. After his parents died in the war, he stayed with his abusive relatives that treated him as a slave. He witnessed Shishio killing police men, after carrying large amounts rice packages back and forth, Shishio was about to kill him but didn't because of his habit to smile when he is in danger. Shishio orders him to keep him in a safe house and to provide for him. Days pass and Soujirou tended to him and explained his situation with his relatives. Shishio then explained his creed of survival of the fittest and gives him his sword. When Soujirou is blamed for wasting rice his older relatives try to kill him thinking that they can pin it on Shishio. In the end, Soujirou killed his relatives and went of with Shishio to become his protégé.

Soujirou's apparent lack of emotion, his simple, insensitive mentality that ''the strong will live and the weak shall die'', and his skills make him a formidable foe for Kenshin. As a master swordsman of his own style, Soujirou's abilities have earned him the nickname of "Heaven's Sword". -----* AbusiveParents: More exactly, abusive stepmother/step-siblings/step-uncles who [[TheUnfavorite hated on him]] for being [[BastardBastard an illegitimate child]].* AdaptationalVillainy: His tragic backstory is downplayed considerably in the live action films. He is, however, the most sympathetically portrayed of his group in that continuity. * AlliterativeName: '''S'''eta '''S'''oujirou.* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Notable for being the first (and perhaps only character) to be even faster than Kenshin, and capable of even dodging the Kuzu Ryusen.** The ability to dodge Kuzu Ryusen is somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that Kenshin's slim physique prevents him from using the move to its fullest potential.* BadassAdorable* BastardBastard* BeenThereShapedHistory: Okubo Toschimichi really was assassinated. However, in the series, Soujirou is the one responsible and the samurai historically credited for Okubo's death showed up after the fact and decided to take credit for it.* {{Bishounen}}* CreepyChild: Sorta, he's already 17 but is OlderThanTheyLook. [[spoiler: When he crossed the DespairEventHorizon and killed his abusive family, however...]]* CryCute* DarkAndTroubledPast* TheDragon: To Shishio.* DissonantSerenity: Practically the poster child for this trope.* EvilCounterpart: He mirrors Kenshin in his seemingly cheerful disposition and sword style (although he's even faster). The contrasts between their philosophies are further emphasized with the influence their mentors and experiences had on them. * FragileSpeedster: Is capable of dodging nearly all of Kenshin's attacks, but the one attack that does connect utterly defeats him. Granted, it was Kenshin's ultimate technique...* FreudianExcuse: Has a pretty screwed up backstory.* FlashStep: An UrExample before [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Bleach]], fast enough to catch Kenshin off guard.* JourneyToFindOneself: At the [[spoiler:end of the Kyoto arc, he's wandering the world]].* KarmaHoudini: Despite [[spoiler:killing one of Kenshin's close associates from the revolution (who also happens to be the Prime Minister), he is just allowed to search for his meaning in life, not answering for his actions.]]* HazyFeelTurn/WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Last time seen travelling Japan. According to Chou, he won't allow himself to be captured but will simply look for the truth by himself.* {{Keet}}* OlderThanHeLooks: He's 17, really.* PsychopathicManchild: A more robotic version.* RedBaron: Heaven's Sword.* SelfMadeOrphan: [[spoiler: Killed his abusive stepmother/step-siblings/step-uncles in self-defense.]]* SocialDarwinist: Due to his master's teachings* StepfordSmiler: Is very polite and all smiles, even when he kills people.** PerpetualSmiler* SuperSpeed: Gets pretty damn close. Not only is he faster then Kenshin's, he can't even be ''seen'' when he's attacking.* TragicVillain* UndyingLoyalty: To Shishio.* UsedToBeASweetKid* VillainousBreakdown: An huge one. [[TearJerker And heartbreaking as well]].--> '''Soujirou:''' "You speak of not killing, of protecting the weak...that's a lie. Back then, when ''I'' needed help, why were you nowhere to be found? If a sword can protect the weak, where were you to protect me?"** He actually snaps completely when Kenshin asks him an ArmorPiercingQuestion.* WalkingTheEarth: After [[spoiler:the Kyoto arc.]][[/folder]]

A crossdresser young man from the Juppongatana. He [[HoYay loves Shishio Makoto deeply]], but knows that he will never be loved like Komagata Yumi nor will he ever become as talented as Seta Soujirou, who serves as Shishio's right hand man. He still devotedly fights for the person he loves.

Kamatari uses a very heavy scythe-like weapon, a reaper, with a chain ball on the end of the weapon; this is called Ogama. He practices Honjou-ryu, his own style of martial arts with his scythe.-----* BadassGay* DemotedToExtra: In the live action films, [[GenderFlip she]] doesn't have any lines and her integral fight scene with Kaoru (and Misao) is AdaptedOut.* DesignatedGirlFight: Subverted, as the two heroines take on a crossdressing man rather than a woman.* DrivenToSuicide: Twice. [[spoiler:Misao knocks him out from commiting [[{{seppuku}} jigai ritual suicide]] after losing [[LovelyAngels to her and Kaoru]], and later Cho has to dissuade him from joining Shishio and Yumi in death.]]* DudeLooksLikeALady: To the point that the good guys thinks he's a woman at first.* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: Both his named attacks (Midare Benten and Benten Mawashi) involves a lot of spinning. The former also borders with SpinToDeflectStuff.* {{Expy}}: Noted by [[WordOfGod Watsuki]] in the design notes to be modeled after [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Ikari Yui]], Ikari Shinji's mom.* GagPenis: As noted above, his "manly parts" are used as a gag, shocking poor Misao. Apparently, he's well endowed.-->'''Misao:''' "He's got an elephant down there!!"* GenderFlip: The live action films made him a true female.* GenderReveal: When called "scythe girl", he proceeds to flash his jibblies to Misao, Yahiko, Kaoru, and the whole Aoiya crew.* HeelFaceTurn: Mostly. [[spoiler: After Shishio's death he's hired by the Japanese government as a crossdressing spy.]]* GameBreakingInjury: Kaoru [[spoiler:defeats him by knee capping him with her bokuto. It was so serious in fact that a month after the battle he still had to recover... and his depression didn't helped either.]]* HiddenDepths* {{Kawaiiko}}: Maybe in the end, He was also prone to make cutesy faces in battle, expecially when his beloved Shishio was involved.* LoveMartyr: To Shishio. He's ''painfully'' aware that he simply can't be loved back, so he fights to at least be useful to him [[spoiler: and after losing he has to be dissuaded ''twice'' from trying to kill himself.]]* MeaningfulName: Kama in Kamatari stand for Scythe. His attacks are named after Benten, the only female goddess of the Seven Lucky Gods.* MusclesAreMeaningless: Has the body frame of a young maiden, and yet can swing around his large scythe (30 kg) effortlessly.* SinisterScythe: His WeaponOfChoice. During the duel against Misao and Kaoru he uses more the large EpicFlail at the tip of the weapon to fight.** In one of the volumes, the author mentions that the character came about as a result of a Japanese pun suggested by one of his assistants. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama_%28weapon%29 Kama]] is a word referring to a sickle or scythe, while okama is a slang term for transvestites. Reading between the lines, fans have come to the very reasonable conclusion that the assistant in question was none other than Creator/EiichiroOda. * TransEqualsGay: Played with. He ''is'' a (very convincing) crossdressing AntiVillain who is in love with his male boss, Shishio. But while he is both gay and a VillainousCrossdresser [[spoiler: and a [[WholesomeCrossdresser Wholesome]] one after his HeelFaceTurn]], he is ''not'' transgender, as he identifies as a guy and flashes Misao when she accidentally misidentified him as a woman; he seems to find her mistake and her reaction both hilarious, despite having the crossdressing skills of a kabuki ''onnagata'' ([[WildMassGuessing which it has been theorized he once was]]) and presumably convincing people on a regular basis. * UndyingLoyalty: to Shishio. He's actually in love with him.* VillainousBreakdown: At the start of his fight against Misao and Kaoru, he's jolly, smiling and joking. By the end he's frowning and a lot more serious. When he actually loses, [[spoiler: he sadly accepts his loss and tries to kill himself, but Misao stops him.]]* VillainousCrossdresser: ** WholesomeCrossdresser: After the [[spoiler:end of the Kyoto arc, when he's hired as a spy for the Japanese government.]]* WreckedWeapon: The combined efforts of [[spoiler:Misao and Kaoru shatter his scythe. However, he can still use a secret technique using the other end of his pole arm to pick up the flail and throw it.]]* VolleyingInsults: With Yumi.* {{Yandere}}: To Shishio.[[/folder]]

A giant, considered a freak by everyone around him; his real name is not stated in the series. One day he was attacked and almost killed but the old man Saizuchi found him and took him in. The gentle, depressed Fuji was in an ideal state for Saizuchi to manipulate his emotions and turn him into an unbelievable fighter. Saizuchi keeps telling Fuji that he owes him for saving his life and uses that to control him.-----* AdaptationalVillainy: Much more lucid and brutal in the films.* AdaptationalWimp: Goes down [[spoiler:after Saito stabs him through the chest when he wasn't looking]].* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: His enormous height terrified everyone, and once he was shot to almost death by scared guards.* ArmorIsUseless: According to [[spoiler: Hiko]], the armor actually decreases his real strength, as it makes him feel too confident.* TheBigGuy: [[spoiler:In the end]], literally and figuratively.* BreakTheCutie: His backstory is [[TearJerker completely heartwrenching]]. Notice that in the manga, we're only given hints about his past by Saizuchi; [[AdaptationExpansion in the anime, we see it all.]]* TheBrute: When controlled by Saizuchi.* CallToAgriculture: Becomes a [[spoiler: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tondenhei Tondenhei]] (a sort of soldier who works as a farmer during peace periods in the northern island of Hokkaido)]] after the Kyoto arc.* CoolHelmet* DeathByAdaptation: Saito [[spoiler:kills him off in the live action film.]]* DemotedToExtra: In the live action films, his integral fight scene with Hiko Seijuro is AdaptedOut.* EmptyShell: When controlled by Saizuchi, again.* {{Expy}}: His armored form is stated in the manga's notes to be based off the God Soldier from [[Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind Nausicaa]].* GentleGiant: One who towered over ''buildings'', and [[spoiler: despite his terrifying armor, he becomes one of the most normal characters in the series]].* HeelFaceTurn* LightningBruiser: Despite his size, he's so fast that the gang at the Oniwabanshu place didn't notice his presence until after he had cut half the inn down.* ManlyTears: When [[spoiler: Hiko]] adresses and treats him as a human and not a tool or a monster, Fuji takes off his mask and helmet and cries in ''joy''. [[spoiler: Then, they duel properly, and Hiko wins.]]* MeaningfulName: Fuji can refer to Mt. Fuji.* ObliviouslyEvil: [[spoiler: Subverted, he's not a bad guy deep down.]]* PunchClockVillain* ScreamingWarrior* TokenGoodTeammate: Subverted at first.* TragicVillain* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Or at least, a freakishly huge one. Misao lampshades the trope by wondering if he was a human man or not.* WildCard: When he was first mentioned, it is implied that he is ever a [[SmugSuper an overconfident brute]] or [[DumbMuscle a simple-minded behemoth that uses strong, but slow punches]]. [[spoiler: No could have expected he'd be a huge swordsman who's not only subtle, but not look menacing in his armor. In fact, it's implied only Hiko could face him on equal terms]].** Shishio remarks that Soujirou is his strongest warrior under him, [[spoiler: but it seems that Fuji has more ''raw'' power than all of his top men, even him. And is heavily implied that even Kenshin would lose to him, so Hiko the strongest character in the series had to face him]].* YourSizeMayVary: The first time he appears, we only see his feet, which are as big as a normal person. When he appears later, he's huge, but not that big.[[/folder]]

A cunning small old man who manipulates Fuji and lays out the battle plans for him; his real name is not stated in the series. He believes that his old age makes him the one who is right since he has lived so long. Saizuchi's talents lie not in battle-abilities, but his proficient use of words.----- * AdaptationalBadass: His Live Action incarnation is of normal height, seems to be younger, uses a katana, and tried to personally attack Kenshin on several occasions.* BaldOfEvil: Paired with a very large head to boot.* {{Gonk}}* HeelFaceTurn: After [[spoiler:Shishio's defeat, he puts his persuasion skills to use as a foreign diplomat for the Meiji government.]]* HumiliationConga* KidWithTheLeash: {{Inverted}}, he's an ''old man with the leash''. Of his disciple, Fuji.* ManipulativeBastard: Poor Fuji.* NonActionGuy: One of the two Jupponganta that doesn't [[BadAss have an awesome fighting style]], and he's only there to order Fuji around.* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Gives one to the heroes during the assault on Aoiya. Unlike many other examples, he makes use of logic to make his point and even admit that they underestimated them, as they defeated two of the Juppongatana alone.* SmallNameBigEgo: Claims that his comrades are envious of his "great and remarkable skills". He's wrong.* SmugSnake: Talks like a superior and tries a logical [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech analysis on why Kenshin's team will lose]], but we all know he's only there to give orders to his giant.* TheStrategist: Thinks he's this, although Hoji's a lot better at then he is.[[/folder]]

->''I don't blame you for being blind to my mission. Just know...it is the blind who must die.''

A warrior fallen-monk who fights alongside Shishio to destroy the Meiji government. He was among the many victims of the Meiji-era sponsored [[spoiler: ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haibutsu_kishaku Haibutsu kishaku]]''/anti-Buddhism purge, resulting in the destruction of his home and the deaths of the five orphaned children he cared for in his temple, who came from families who opposed the Meiji restoration and were wiped away during the war.]] Said horrifying experience made him pull a FaithHeelTurn, [[TookALevelInBadass go from an]] ActualPacifist from a WarriorMonk, and brutally murder the culprits with his own hands, before Shishio recruits him to his cause.

Anji is the third strongest and most merciful of the Ten Swords and has made an agreement with Shishio that Anji shall decide whether someone lives or dies. Despite being ranked as third most powerful, Uonuma Usui seems to fear him to some extent, having declined from Anji's challenge after the fallen monk protected Makimachi Misao from the Blind Murderer. He does not use a blade directly in combat, instead utilizing Futae no Kiwami (Double Layer Limit or "Mastery of Two Layers") to strike the blade into the ground to attack from a distance, or more usually directly with his fists.

At some point, he and Sanosuke met in the forest; Sanosuke saw Anji perform the Futae no Kiwami, was amazed at the sight and asked him to teach it. Anji accepted on the condition that, if Sanosuke didn't learn it perfectly in a week, he would kill him; Sanosuke barely managed to fulfill the deal, and few later they were pit against each other...-----* AdaptationalVillainy: The live action films AdaptedOut his tragic backstory. He is also just a straight [[TheRival rival]] to Sano instead of being his mentor-turned-antagonist.* AdaptedOut: The live action films dropped his tragic backsory and his mentor/student relationship with Sano, as well as his Futae no Kiwami technique.* AffablyEvil: While he may be the most merciful of the Juppongatana, his desire for wrath to purify the world and the downfall of the Meiji Government supersedes that. Plus, he only joined the Juppongatana on the condition that he could choose who lives and who dies. '''Pray that you are not on his bad side.'''* BadAss* BaldOfAwesome* BareFistedMonk: He carries a sword, but it's not his WeaponOfChoice.* BigDamnHeroes: Pulls one ''despite'' being a villain, saving [[spoiler: Misao]] from [[spoiler: Usui]] trying to stab her in the back.* BreakTheCutie: Once was a sweet, caring monk. [[spoiler: Then, his adoptive children were murdered and his shrine was burned down. [[FreakOut He... snapped]].]]* TheBrute: To Shishio's BigBad. GeniusBruiser variant.* CoolSword: Despite not being a swordsman, he carries around a short, buddhist-like sword, which he only uses to turn his Futae no Kiwami in a deadly GroundPound.* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler: He is presumably killed after the fall of the Rengoku in the live action films.]]* DemotedToExtra: He does fight Sanosuke in the films, but their relationship and the majority of his screentime is relegated to that fight alone.* DespairEventHorizon: The BreakTheCutie incident.* EvilMentor: To Sanosuke, whom he taught the Futae no Kiwami to. [[spoiler: Sanosuke subverts the trope by [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight snapping Anji back to his senses]].]]* EvilCounterpart: To Sanosuke again. They both became bitter after [[spoiler: losing their loved ones and turned to violence. While Sanosuke lost the one he looked up to and honored as a youth, Anji lost the children who he took care of and looked up to him. Sanosuke even mentions it during their fight, how Anji's just like him in the past.]] Sanosuke's relieving of stress in his fights is given a darker reflection with Anji dealing retribution to his foes, though both were really lashing out in hatred. Their meetings are even marked by their hatred of the Meiji Government. * FacialMarkings: Painted with ashes to make himself look more imposing. [[spoiler: The first time he did it, he used the ashes he took from the lifeless body of the orphan girl who loved him, which marked the definitive point in his FaithHeelTurn.]]* FaithHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Highly enraged when the children died, after praying for their safety when helplessly injured, and emphasized by him punching the face of Buddha out of pure sorrow. According to him, if Buddha won't listen to the world's prayers, he reasons, then he'll damn well save the world by his own hands. ]]* FriendToAllLivingThings: Used to be one.* FreudianExcuse: The [[spoiler:adoptive children he loved were murdered by greedy bureaucrats.]]* GentleGiant: Subverted on the giant part. Anji is very tall but he used to be rather scrawny, and bulked up ''after'' his FaithHeelTurn.* GeniusBruiser: Big, strong, and very, ''very'' bright.* GoodEyesEvilEyes: Has huge wide eyes before being broken. Afterwards, they're much more narrow. Double the effect since [[GenreSavvy he]] paints his eyelids black with ashes to invoke the trope.* HeelFaceTurn* LightningBruiser* ManlyTears: When he's [[spoiler:brought back by Sanosuke and remembers the good times with his adoptive children, he collapses in tears. [[TearJerker And we all cry with him]].]]* PapaWolf: Deconstructed. See BreakTheCutie.* PrecociousCrush: In the anime, the oldest of the orphans he used to care for was a teenage girl named Tsubaki, who had a huge crush on Anji and was {{Tsundere}} towards him. The children [[ShipperOnDeck said they'd pray so Anji and Tsubaki could get married later]]. The anime amped up the ShipTease via adding a scene where Anji carried Tsubaki on his back after she sprained her ankle and she swears to always be by his side [[SnowMeansLove as they go through the falling snow]], and another where they talk about what they'll do when they have to leave their temple. [[spoiler: But then, she died with the other kids. And their heart-to-heart last scene happened ''right before Tsubaki and the other kids are murdered''.]]* ReligiousBruiser: Rare ''villainous'' version. His title in the Juppongatana also alliterates this, being '''Anji the Myou-ou''', meaning either '''Bright King''' or the '''Destroyer''', the buddhas of wrath and fear who convert by frightening non-believers into faith and slay evil in Buddhist mythology.* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: 5 years after [[spoiler: the orphans died]], he brutally murdered both the men who [[spoiler: set the fire]] and the local leader who gave tacit approval, despite the guy groveling for mercy.* TokenGoodTeammate* TookALevelInBadass: For his {{revenge}}. In five years, he went from a scrawny and [[AllLovingHero sweet]] monk to a huge LightningBruiser.* TragicKeepsake: A small prayer tablet with the names of his adoptive kids. [[spoiler: It's the only thing that remains from his destroyed temple]].* YouHave48Hours: He told Sano "If you don't learn the Futae no Kiwami in a week, I'll kill you".* WarriorMonk* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds[[/folder]]

Shishio's second in command. He used to be an official in the Meiji Government but lost faith in it when he saw no one in the government was worthy of controlling the country. He abandoned his position in the government and eventually met Shishio. Houji, too, envisions Japan as a mighty power led by Shishio, ruling with the principles of basic animal survival. Houji is indeed unique; although he is not proficient in any fighting style, he is a cunning organizer and possesses formidable leadership qualities. His skills as a staff officer figure are quite amazing; he even manages to purchase Rengoku on the black market. Houji's plan with the Rengoku fails when Sanosuke blows up the Purgatory with bombs provided by his friend Katsu. Houji was "baptized" by Shishio's intense body heat to kindle in him a belief in hell.----- * AdaptationalBadass: His live action film counterpart is an ActionSurvivor.* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler: He presumably died at the fall of the Rengoku in the live action films, instead of committing suicide at the prison.]]* DrivenToSuicide: And he [[spoiler:did that [[DyingMomentOfAwesome in quite a showy way]].]]* EvilGenius: Shishio's logistician, organiser, and administrator. And capable enough to smuggle a [[spoiler: ''battleship'']] into the country.* {{Expy}}: Sort of, but not really. According to the author, Hoji's overall concept originates from Forge from the X-Men, but you'd be hard pressed to find two characters who are more different.* FamousLastWords: Writes them [[spoiler:in blood on his cell wall before committing suicide.]]-->[[spoiler: ''"This world is dead to me. I go to serve my lord in Hell."'']]* {{Fingore}}: In the manga, Usui rips off one of his fingernails to determine if he's telling the truth about not being a traitor. Houji then ''bites off six more'' as punishment for "betraying" seven members of the Juppongatana.** In the anime, Usui breaks a finger, then Houji stabs it. Still quite nasty.* LargeHam * LikeABadassOutOfHell: Joins [[spoiler:Shishio in his plan in Hell.]] * ManOfWealthAndTaste: His suit.* NonActionGuy: Compared to the others.* OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions: When Shishio inquires about his religious beliefs, Houji initially states that he is a materialist who doesn't believe in heaven or hell. After Shishio's "baptism," however, he eventually ends up agreeing, and [[spoiler: dies assured that he will follow his master to hell.]]* PsychoSupporter: * TheStrategist: He's in charge of gathering all of the equipment and recruits for Shishio's army. His nickname translates as "Hoji the All-Knowing", a role he takes so seriously that he openly defies Shishio over the latter's plan to forgo an attack on Kenshin's allies in favor of [[HonorBeforeReason a straightforward duel]].* SmugSnake* UndyingLoyalty: To Shishio. [[spoiler: He kills himself rather than be used by the government his master despised]]** [[spoiler: And follows him straight to hell]].* VillainousBreakdown: When Shishio is defeated, Houji destroys the lair in a sort of improvised SelfDestructMechanism to kill everyone. The reason?--> '''Houji:''' "If you all die, there is no victor! If you all die, Shishio-sama remains undefeated! SHISHIO-SAMA ALONE TAKES THE DAY!!"* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Played for drama. During Shishio's final duel with Kenshin, he initially hides a rifle under his coat, ready to take out the heroes if his master starts to lose. He does this without Shishio's knowledge, and fully aware that Shishio will never forgive him for doing so and will almost certainly kill him if he does. Halfway through the battle, however, Houji reveals the weapon to both Yumi and Shishio, and throws it away, to express his faith in his master's abilities. Whoops.* WickedCultured[[/folder]]

The "Blind Sword", used to be a swordsman working for the shogunate government. However, in a fight against Shishio Makoto, he was blinded and eventually left to die.

He possesses the Shingan, which actually is superhuman hearing that lets him hear another's heartbeat thus enabling him to sense people around him and detect the emotions of others. This ability is so advanced that it appears to be similar to the sonar of a dolphin or bat. ----- * AdaptationalWimp: He manages to easily kill several police officers in the third live-action film, but once Saito sees that he's trying to sneak up on him, their fight is settled by a [[spoiler:SingleStrokeBattle]].* AlliterativeName* BadassMustache* BecomingTheMask: Has more or less given up on killing Shishio, despite his protestations otherwise. A major source of his self-loathing.* BladeOnAStick: His weapon of choice is a Rocin, a short spear with a blade on one end and a large iron sphere on the other. Said weapon is used with the Tanbei as part of the typical Okinawan fighting style.* DemotedToExtra: His history with Shishio in the live action films is AdaptedOut.* DisabilitySuperpower: His hearing more or less functions as a sonar, allowing him to read people's emotions and movements. He is convinced that recieved this power due to his near-death experience at Shishio's hands.* EvilCounterpart: To Saitou; both fighters cling to their past rivals to some extent; Saitou doubting Kenshin's Atoner status, and Usui constantly challenging Shishio. Yet Saitou stays true to his beliefs of justice, while Usui continues to simply maintain the facade for looks..* FaceHeelTurn: Before the story. He was a government assassin sent to kill Shishio. Now he works for him. (Though he was never good to begin with.)* FamousLastWords: Which more or less sum up the wreckage of his life: -->''"To hold onto one's beliefs, without even the smallest fraction of doubt. It seems easy, but what a difficult thing it is. Just how long will you last, in this new world of the Meiji? Can you live by the sword, holding true to your precious, [[CatchPhrase Aku, Zoku, Zan]]...?"'' * HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: [[spoiler: Yes, to recap, Saito's ''thrust'' was so otherwordly powerful that broke his shield, tore him in half, and sent his impaled torso flying against a wall and pinned him there. A ''point-blank thrust''.]]* HandicappedBadass: A previous battle with Shishio left him completely blind.* InformedAbility: We're told [[spoiler:he is the strongest of Shishio's men after [[TheDragon Soujirou]], yet his battle with Saito is one of the shortest in the series, especially when compared to any of Kenshin or Sano's fights]]. It's a bit of a letdown.** [[spoiler:His opponent was ''[[BadassBaritone Saito]]''. What else WOULD you expect?]]** [[spoiler: Also, at least in the anime, much of that fight was Saito lulling Usui into a false sense of superiority before killing him with a sneak attack. As opposed to all the other battles where both participants "fought".]]** [[spoiler: Not to mention he blocked several of Saito's attacks, wounded him multiple times, and actually seemed to be ''winning'' the fight before Saito whipped out his FinishingMove. He may have gone down like a punk compared to other top-tier fighters, but a weakling he is ''not''.]]* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler: By Saito. He ends up looking like a pinned butterfly]].* KickTheDog: Frequently. He breaks Houji's finger, attempts to stab Misao from behind, and constantly belittles the other members of his team. Saito implies that this is the result of Usui needing an outlet for his own self-hatred.* LikeABadassOutOfHell: Possibly. Yumi suggests finding and recruting him as she, Shishio, and Houji plot to [[spoiler: take over Hell]] (not that it would need much taking over).* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Uses a tortoise shell that is tough enough to withstand katanas [[spoiler: until Saito uses Gatotsu Zeroshiki.]] Unlike many other shield-users, Usui takes advantage of the shield's curved shape to deflect attacks and to block his opponent's field of vision - which doesn't correspondingly inconvenience Usui himself, since he's blind.* ProfessionalKiller: Was a government assassin before his FaceHeelTurn.* RedBaron: The Blind Sword.** NonIndicativeName: After becoming blind, he changed his weapon from a sword to a Tanbei Rocin.* {{Revenge}}: His reason for joining Shishio.* TheStarscream: Joined Shishio's group under the condition that he be allowed to try and assasinate Shishio, whenever and as often as he wished. Subverted in that he has [[spoiler: completely given up on taking revenge; he just keeps up his Starscream facade to save face.]]** His ''Shin Kyoto Hen'' incarnation, however, [[spoiler: is still itching for a fight with Shishio, which eventually gets him killed at the latter's hands [[CurbStompBattle when he was suffering a severe case of boredom]].]]* SuperSenses: His ears are sharp enough to compensate for his eyes, ''and'' allow him to easily read people's emotions.* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: In '[[spoiler:'Shin Kyoto Hen'', he goes down like a punk in fighting Shishio when the latter was bored (though he seemingly lasted longer than his original battle with Saito)]].* ThrowTheDogABone: [[spoiler:While in Hell, Yumi suggest to Shishio to find Usui as well and treat him like a true companion this time, and Shishio agrees.]]* VillainousBreakdown: Totally loses his cool when Saito reveals that he has [[BecomingTheMask given up on killing Shishio]].* VillainousFashionSense: A yellow kimono completely covered in eyes. Unlike most examples, this is pointed out InUniverse by both Yahiko and later Saito.[[/folder]]

Also known as "Sword Hunter", Chō possesses quite a collection of rare and unusual swords, including, his favorite, a long flexible sword he keeps hidden around his waist named urumi, and double bladed sword known as a renbatō. He is only a mediocre opponent when not using the former (despite using a master sheathing technique), but he will still begin battles with regular swords, preferring to toy with his opponents. Only if they prove a true challenge will he reveal his full ability. A native of Osaka, Cho; has a very calm and cool exterior, and normally keeps one eye closed when talking, and only opens both eyes when excited in the heat of battle.

His fighting style is determined by the sword he uses, but he mainly uses the style Garyuorochi. ----- * AdaptedOut: His urumi in the Live Action films.* AnimeHair: He says its "The hair of sacred fire". Everyone else says that it looks like "The hair of insane broom."* BifurcatedWeapon: His Renbat! is a two bladed katana composed by Ch!'s two katana merged together. According to him, the wounds it leaves are difficult to patch up and dangerous.* BlondGuysAreEvil%%ButtMonkey (nowhere half as bad as Gohei, but still)]]* ConfusionFu: His Live Action movie counterpart has a very rough and brutal fighting style that is complimented by just how odd and reckless it is compared to the more slick and precise styles other characters use.* EvilCounterpart: As showcased in an amusing meeting between the two, he looks/dresses very similarly to Sanosuke and gives an idea of what he would be like absent morals (while Sano loves a good fight, Chō is a BloodKnight).* EyeScream: His ''Shin Kyoto Hen'' incarnation wasn't as lucky in his battle with Kenshin. [[spoiler: Yes, he survives, but he also loses an eye to [[DarkerAndEdgier a more-ruthless]] Kenshin.]]* [[EyesAlwaysShut Eye Always Shut]]: And when he opens it, it means he's about to get serious.* HeelFaceTurn: Sort of.* TheIdiotFromOsaka: Has a strong KansaiRegionalAccent and he's not all that bright.* PlatonicLifePartners: With Yumi. They used to go out and drink together, according to him.* WhipSword: His urumi.* WouldHurtAChild: During his introduction, he tries to pressure someone into supplying a sword by threatening the guy's infant son.[[/folder]]

Known as Henya the Flighted, aids the attack on Aoi-Ya, the Kyoto secret headquarters of the Oniwabanshu, with four other Juppongatana members. His battle technique is called Hiku Happa, in which he uses dynamite to lift himself into flight and attack with from above. He can descend to attack the opponent with a blade on his arm and then blow himself back into the air. The power of flight is harnessed because Henya starves himself and is very emaciated; he is so light that the constant uplift from the explosions can easily keep him in the air, and a cape allows him to control his movement. ----- * ArrogantKungFuGuy: to the point that this is his main personality.* AnimeHair: His resembles a blade and is grown to a pointed tip.* BlackCloak: It opens out into a glider designed to look like bat-wings.* BladeBelowTheShoulder: For close-up work.* BlowYouAway: He blows up his enemies with dynamite, and uses the force of the explosions to propel himself higher.* DemotedToExtra: In the live action films, he doesn't have any lines and his integral fight scene with Yahiko is AdaptedOut.* {{Flight}} / NotQuiteFlight* FragileSpeedster: He may be able to fly, but once Yahiko manages to get close enough to whack his emaciated body, he's done for.* HeelFaceTurn: The government [[spoiler:later uses his flying skills to spy for them.]]* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Yahiko [[spoiler:takes advantage of Henya's blast to use a door like a kite and use the same technique as Henya to catch him offguard.]]* LeanAndMean: UpToEleven. It's hard to find someone else ''that'' thin. He remarks that he's only able to maintain his light weight by keeping himself on the edge of starvation.* MeaningfulName: The "Hen" from Henya means Bat. Kariwa means "Reaping Plume".* ShoutOut: To {{Spawn}} character Freak. He's also named after the famous swordsman Henyasai Matsubayashi, known for his acrobatic skills.* WeHaveReserves: His attitude towards his subordinates during the great fire. His fighting style can also damage his own allies in battle.[[/folder]]

A fat oaf who uses his immense size, his strength, and his ability to entrap weapons in his flab. He is armed with small blades worn on his fingertips. He is very stupid, and, apart from taking part in the battle of Aoi-Ya as well as grinning like an utter idiot, he does not say anything, and he does not do anything.

[[spoiler:He is in reality a mechanical puppet, a primitive mech, controlled by Gein, the puppetmaster.]]-----* AcroFatic* AdaptationalWimp: Not so much in terms of fighting ability, but his Live Action movie version is of pretty standard height compared to his massive manga self.* ArtificialHuman: It is revealed [[spoiler:in the Jinchuu arc that Iwanbo is actually a combat suit made out of corpses.]]* DemotedToExtra: In the live action films, he doesn't have any lines and his integral fight scene with Kaoru and the Oniwabanshuu is AdaptedOut.* TheDitz: To the point that when he escapes Chō suggest to let him be, as he's not a threat to others.* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: The [[spoiler:3.0 model can spin his fingers and arms to smash and tear people apart.]]* {{Expy}}: Of [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Blob and Mojo]], according to WordOfGod. [[spoiler: His model 0.3 is based on a deformed version of [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]].]]* {{Foreshadowing}}: After Kamatari's defeat, he looks at the Aoiya crew, [[spoiler: and then turns his head like an owl, freaking out Kaoru and Misao, hinting at the fact that he's not human.]]* {{Kevlard}}: He's so disgustingly obese that shurikens and weapons bounces off him. Almost bordering with RubberMan.* MeaningfulName[=/=]GeniusBonus: His nickname, the "Round Demon" in Japanese is "Mari Oni". [[spoiler: As in ''Mario''nette.]]* TheMole: See Gein's entry below.* [[spoiler:ObfuscatingStupidity]]* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After Kamatari and Henya are defeated, but before Saizuchi and Fuji show up.* SlasherSmile: He's always seen grinning like a moron, except when Houji rips off his own nails (he had a "share the pain" face).* TooDumbToLive: To the point that the Mooks decide to run away even when he's left, because "he's too stupid".* WolverineClaws: A variation: he wears small, hatchet-like blades on his fingernails.[[/folder]]----